Automatic air-coupling.



WW 5% I L1H. NICOLSON.

AUTOMATIC AIR COUPLING.

APPLICATION FILED NOV- 12. 1914.

1,172,036. Patented Feb. 15,1916.

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gwue'ntoz JJLNical son 22 1 meow/a J. H. NICOLSON.

AUTOMATIC AIR COUPLING.

APPLICATION FILED NOV.12, 1914.

Patented Feb. 15, 1916.

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AUTOMATIC AIR COUPLING. APPLICATION FILED N0v.12,19 14.

1,172,036; Patented Feb.15,1916."

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

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1-H. NICOLSON.

AUTOMATIC AIR COUPLING.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 12, 1914.

1,172,036. Patented Feb. 15,1916.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

& amen oz JENL' c 016 on Witwamwo JOHN H. NICOLSON, OF BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA.

AUTOMATIC AIR-COUPLING.

ifi ation of I etters Patent. P aten ted Fel), 15, 1916.

Application filed November 12, 1914. Serial No. 871,751.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, J OHN H. NIooLsoN, .a citizen of the United States, residing at Birmingham, in the county of Jefferson and State of Alabama, have invented certain new and useful Improvements iniAutomatic- Air-Couplings; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to air line couplers used upon cars for the transportation of freight over railways and the primary object of the invention is the provision of an automatic coupler whereby the air lines will be connected between a car and a train or between two cars upon the coupling of the cars in the ordinary manner and also to associate with the air coupling a valve construction and means for operating the same whereby the valve will be opened for permitting the passageof air through the air line upon the coupling of cars.

Another object of the invention is the provision of springs of novel form for yieldably mounting the air coupler to compensate for the backing or bumping action occasioned by the coupling of the cars. 1

Another obj ect of the invention isthe provision of means associated with and. carried by the receiving ends of. the automatic coupler which will automatically position the inserting portion of the coupler in air and fluid tight engagement with the receiver to prevent the leakage of air therethrough.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of means operable by the means for drawing the draw pin or coupling-pin which will immediately cut out or close the valve which is interposed in the automatic air coupler as heretofore mentioned. i

lVith the foregoing and other objects in view this invention consists in such novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of. parts as will be hereinafter more fully described,.illustrated in the accompanying drawings and claimed.

a In describing the invention in detail reference will be. had to the accompanying drawings wherein like characters designate like or corresponding parts throughout the several views, and in which Figure 1 is a top plan view of the im- 1 line brake system.

proved automatic air coupler. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the improved air coupler showing the same attachedto a freight car. Fig. 3 is an end view of the coupler showing the same attached to a freight car. Fig. 41 is a cross sectional view on the line-44: of Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a central sectional view "through the improved automatic air cou pler. Fig. 6 is a cross sectional View through the valve interposed within the coupler. Fig. 7 is a detail view partly in elevation and partly in section of the manner of yieldably mounting the coupler. Fig. 8 is a cross sectional view on the line 8- 8 of Fig. 2 andFig. 9 is a cross sectional view on the line 9 -9 of Fig. 3.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, 1 designates the receiving portion which'has a, substantially cubicalor box like body portion 2.- The body portion 2 of the. receiving member 1 of the automatic'air coupler has a flared mouth 3, which c0m-' municates with the interior of the box like body portion 2 and is provided for guiding the inserting member 4 whichwill be hereinafter more fully described. The body portion 2 of the receiving structure l has a boss 5 formed. thereupon through which extends an opening 6. The inner end of the train pipe (not shown) of an ordinary air The inner side walls of the body 2 have slots-8 extending longitudinally therein, in which slots ride'the pins 9. The pins 9 are formed at the junction between the arms 10 and 11 of the angled member 12. The under surface of the arm 11 rides upon a bushing 13 whichis mounted about the surface of a bolt 14. The bolt 14 extends laterally 'across. the body 2 and the bottom of the body 2 is cut away as is show'nat-lfi to accommodate' the bolt l and sleeve 13.] The receiving. member 1- has *a supporting bracket arm 16 'secured" thereto, which extends upwardly from the receiving structure 1 and has its upper terminal end bent an-. gularly to the body portion thereof, for resting upon the upper surface of an ordinary couplerillustratedat 17 such as are used onfreight cars. of ordinary construction' The supporting bracket 16" is held against pivotal or longitudinal movement independent of the coupler 17 by set screws 18 nected a flexible member 7 5. member extends upwardly and i's conby the, back of the bracket 69 as is clearly shown in Fig. 9 of thedrawings; The

plate 70 depends from the bracket and is positioned so that itslowerend will strike the upper end of the arm 67 ofthe angled 'lever 60 for moving said arm forwardly and positioning the arm 62, for opening the valve 51 for establishing communication with the various pipes associated therewith. The plate 70 has an eye bolt Tat secured thereto to which eye bolt is connected to the U-shaped portion 63 of the rod 64: so that upon the rocking of the rod 64: the frame 71 and theplate 70 will be moved upwardly in the guideways 72 to permit of the arm 67 assuming a vertical position.

In the operation of the automatic air coupler heretofore described; when two cars equipped with the improved air coupler are coupled together by means of the ordinary coupler, the sleeve 23 and the ball or head mounted thereupon will enter the flared mouth 3 of the receiving structure 1 and the ball will ride upon the upper surface of the arm 11 and the angled member 12, which arm is positioned at an incline, having inclmed under surface resting upon the upper surface of the base of the box or casing 2,

and inward forcing movement of the head 30 will move the arm 11 to substantially a horizontally position and after the ball has become seated in the arcuate recess 61 formed in the upper surface of the arm 11, the member 12 will ride rearwardly within the casing upon the sleeve which is mounted about thebolt 14, and force the ball upwardly into firm binding engagement with the inner surface of the depending lug 33 and into firm binding engagement with the gasket 7 for forming substantially a fluid tight connection between the ball or head the other, draw the ball or head 30 out of Y the receiving structure 1, moving the lever so that the arm 11 will rest against the base of the boX or housing 2. The uncoupling of the cars, by the operation of the rod which draws the coupling pin will operate the plate 70 as heretofore described, closing the valve 51.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings The flexible the advantages of the construction and of themethod of'operation'of the improved automatic air couplerwill be readily apparent to those skilled in the art to which this invention appertains and, while in the foregoing description, the principle of the operation of this invention has'been' described together with various features of construction, it is to be understood that certain minor. features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts maybe altered to'suit practical conditions provided such alterations are comprehended; within the scope of what is. claimed. What is claimed is:

supported spherical'head having communication with a train line, a receiving casing having an outlet, a gasket surrounding said outlet, anda substantially L-shaped member slidably seated in said receiving casing for receiving said head-upon insertion into the casing.

2; In an automatic air coupler, a yieldably supported spherical head having communie0 1. In an automatic air coupler, a yieldably cation with a train line,fla receiving casing having an outlet, a gasket surrounding said outlet, asubstantially L-shaped member slid-- ably seated in said receiving casing for receivingsaid head HPOIllIlSGIiJlOIl into the casing, a. bushing rotatably mounted within said casing for engaging said substantially L-shaped member and forcing said spherical head into fluid-tight engagement with said gasketupon' the insertion of the head into said casing and rearward movement of said L-shaped member.

3. In an automatic air coupler, a yieldably supported spherical head having communication wlth a train line, a receiving casing having an outlet, a gasket surroundlng said outlet, a substantially L-shaped member slidably seated in said receiving casing, said L-shaped member having the upper surface of its base recessed for receiving a portion of said spherical head for limiting the inward movement of the head independent of movement of said L-shaped member, a bushing rotatably mounted within said casing for engaging said L-shaped member upon rearward movement of the same within said casing for forcing said spherical head into" fluid-tight engagement with said gasket.

4. An automatic air coupler comprising the combination with an inserting member comprising a casing, a stem having one end slidably mounted within said casing, said stem having communication with an air line pipe, a ball head formed upon the other end of said stem, of a receiving member comprising a casing, a gasket formed within said casing and having communication with the air line of a car, a bolt extending transversely through said casing, an angle member slidably carried by saidcasing and seated upon said bolt for engagement with said ball head for forcingjthesame into fluidtight engagement with said gasket.v

Inv anautomatic air couplerthe com bination of an inserting H1IIlb6r comprisring; a easlng, a stem having one end sl dably mounted within said casing,; said stem having communication-with an air line pipe, a ball head formed upon the other end of said stem, a receiving member comprising a easing a gasket formed within said'casing and having communication with, the airline I of a car, a bolt extending transversely through saidcasing, an angle member slidably car- 'ried by said casing and seated upon said ing structure comprising a casing, ,a pipe ex-.

tending, into said casing and having commumcation with a car air plpe, a stem havmg an annular flange formed upon one end,

spring, seated in said Leasing and engaging:

said flange for-yieldingly connecting said :30.

stem and said casing said lstem being ipro e vided with; a bore communicating with said-f pipe, a substantially spherical; head .detachably mounted upon the outer end of said. stem and having an angled bore extending therethrough, a: receiving; structure includ inga casing, a gasketearried by one side' Ofl said casing and having an opening extending therethrough which :communicates with? a car air pipe,;an angled member, carried by said casing for. engagement; with said head upon insertion intosaid, casing, and a rot-a-: table I bushing carried by i said casing A and f engaging said angled -member*for forcing; said headinto firm fluid-tight :connection 1 with said-gasket uponiinsertio'n of 'said head i intosaid receiving casing 7 p In test1mony-whereof I a'HiX my slgnature: in presence of twoiwitnessesl I JOHNiH. NICOLSONE \Vitnesses:

F. 1A.;MILLIGAN, V Roms MEYERS.

Copies of this patent may he obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissionerof-Patentsn Washington, D. 0., 

